Jamie Carragher explains why he chose Arsenal star as his signing of the season

The end of the year is an appropriate time to start discussions about the season’s best signing.

The summer 2021 transfer window was a busy one for the Premier League. The pandemic harmed the economy, but that didn’t deter clubs from spending big money.

Some of that spending already seems vindicated. As we reach the halfway point in the league calendar, it’s time to assess the best signing of the season.

Who is the best signing so far?

One of the prime candidates is Conor Gallagher, who has made a significant impact at Crystal Palace. On loan from Chelsea, the English midfielder has scored six times and dished out three assists so far.

Gallagher’s form probably means he will return to Chelsea next summer.

José Sá is also an underrated candidate. At age 28, the Portuguese goalie joined Wolves from Olympiacos, where he had spent the past two seasons.

He has kept seven clean sheets this season, having conceded only 14 goals in 18 games. Not bad for a £7m signing.

Sá has also impressed with his long passing.

But it’s probably Arsenal who have made the most out of their cash.

As usual, the Gunners threw a few curveballs in the summer. They signed right-back Takehiro Tomiyasu from Bologna, an unproven prospect at the time.

Time has proven the Arsenal board right. An absolute beast at aerial duels, Tomiyasu has become Arteta’s first choice at right-back.

Arsenal’s highest-profile signing was Martin Odegaard, who spent half of last season on loan with the Gunners. His first spell wasn’t very impressive, but Arsenal believed in him enough to shell out £31.50m to buy him from Real Madrid.

Odegaard got off to a slow start, but his recently-regained confidence has contributed to Arsenal’s recent success.

Aaron Ramsdale is Jamie Carragher’s signing of the season

Such success couldn’t be explained without Aaron Ramsdale.

The English goalkeeper joined the Gunners for a £30m fee last summer. It was a signing that raised a few eyebrows. Ramsdale had been Player of the Year for Sheffield United, but he wasn’t an established star.

He is on his way to becoming one for Arsenal.

Ramsdale’s legion of fans keeps growing. Last night, Jamie Carragher chose him as his signing of the season so far.

“I went for him because it was almost the biggest surprise. I thought they were bringing him in as backup, and bringing him because he was an English player, for the quota,” said Carragher.

“He’s got a presence about him that I didn’t see that he had, and I think he’s had a big impact on the team”.

Carragher is dead-on about Ramsdale’s presence. The 23-year-old has excelled at easing Arsenal’s offensive transition with his effective long-range passing. The average length of his goal kicks puts Ramsdale on the 97% percentile for Premier League goalies.

Ramsdale is also a lifesaver between the sticks. He leads the Premier League in clean sheet percentage, with an astonishing 56.3%, as well as being on the 91% percentile for crosses stopped.

Gareth Southgate will have a tough decision to make ahead of England’s next game, as Ramsdale could get the starting spot instead of Jordan Pickford.

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